So-called air-based air conditioning systems as described for example in DE 10 2008 053 320 A1 or non-published DE 10 2010 054 448 are usually used at present in commercial aircraft to air-condition the aircraft cabin. An aircraft air conditioning system serves to cool the aircraft cabin, which would otherwise be overheated due to thermal loads, such as, for example, body heat of the passengers and waste heat from equipment present on board the aircraft.
Further, DE 10 2006 005 035 B3, WO 2007/088012 A1, DE 10 2009 011 797 A1 and US 2010/0251737 A1 describe cooling systems for operation with a two-phase refrigerant which may be used, for example, to cool food that is stored on board a passenger aircraft and intended to be supplied to the passengers. Electric or electronic components on board the aircraft such as, for example, an avionic system may be cooled either by means of the aircraft air conditioning system or by means of a cooling system as described, for example, in DE 10 2006 005 035 B3, WO 2007/088012 A1, DE 10 2009 011 797 A1 and US 2010/0251737 A1.